Prawn Heads & Cupcakes & Soups, Oh My! 10/5 Complete (now with my Dining Wish List)!

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

I think you are right that Le Cellier will change its lunch menu when it becomes a full scale signature and we probably will be saying good bye to the burger. That makes me sad. I love the Le Cellier burger.

Hope you and your mom have a wonderful trip!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I think you are right that Le Cellier will change its lunch menu when it becomes a full scale signature and we probably will be saying good bye to the burger. That makes me sad. I love the Le Cellier burger.

Hope you and your mom have a wonderful trip!

That house burger seems to have a loyal following, but I can't imagine them keeping it around. It just doesn't seem to fit on a "signature" menu.

If I were a menu consultant at Le Cellier, I would keep the burger on the menu and tweak it to make it more upscale. Maybe use prime beef and add a dash of truffle oil on top. And instead of regular french fries, change the side dish to Le Cellier's upscale poutine that they serve for dinner. Since the burger is such a popular dish, maybe they'll try to save it somehow.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I can't believe we'll be getting ready to leave in less than 48 hours! Obviously, I don't have time to do a lengthy countdown full of food pics, so I looked back at some of my favorite Disney pics (I have an album of "favorites"), and decided to share some with you. Here's a look at classic Disney icons.

I had to start with the original Disney park icon: Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland.

During my short visit to DL, I was very impressed by Grizzly Peak at DCA. Sadly, the weather was gray when I took this pic, but I still like it. Interestingly enough, as cool as Grizzly Peak is, it's not even the icon of the park: that would be the new Carthay Circle Theatre replica (which I haven't seen in person yet).

DCA isn't the only park to change up its icon - I'm still disappointed with the decision to place a giant Sorcerer's Hat right in front of the Chinese Theatre. It's not that I hate the look of the hat, but rather it detracts from the perfect theming of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard.

Look over there - there's a modern blue hat plopped right in the middle of Hollywood's Golden Age.

On the other hand, I really like both icons of Animal Kingdom: the Tree of Life and Expedition Everest (which has become an icon in its own right, since it's so clearly visible from outside the park).

Another attraction that is basically a Disney icon is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. When everyone else is rushing to TSM, I like turning right onto Sunset Boulevard and enjoying this view.

The lobby is warm, inviting, and well-maintained.

Checking in at night is extra fun.

When the sun begins to set, the icons of Disney begin to look entirely different. Here's Splash Mountain in Disneyland...

compared to Splash Mountain in Florida during the day.

Here's Cinderella Castle after the sun has nearly disappeared.

To wrap up this update, here are two of Disney's classic resorts. The Polynesian has been around since 1971, which I think is pretty incredible.

While the Grand Floridian only opened in 1988, it's still iconic IMO, especially since it's the flagship resort.

Here's one more iconic pic that I forgot: my favorite Fantasyland ride (ever since my first visit to MK when I was 3). It's always been the Mad Tea Party! Here's a pic of the Disneyland version, which doesn't have a roof. I guess the weather is usually so nice that it simply doesn't need one! Also interesting to me is that some of the cups are "plain", unlike the ones in MK which all seem to have decorations on them.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

While preparing my next pre-trip update for your entertainment, I noticed a theme that seemed interesting to me: birds.

From adorable to edible, the birds at Disney are much more interesting than the pigeons I'm used to.

I mean, just look at this seagull in Frontierland - he simply exudes confidence.

Or this advertisement in Disneyland, featuring a friendly tropical bird. His facial expression is such a captivating endorsement of one of my favorite corporate relationships.

Then there's a certain character who holds a special place in my heart. He's been my favorite Disney character for as long as I can remember, and I was happy to see him featured in the Saratoga Springs pool area.

Donald looks just as good as a topiary.

These ducks outside Le Cellier were the most adorable things I've ever seen.

This duck seems to be disgusted by the messy eaters at Magic Kingdom - look at all that popcorn on the ground!

While I like ducks, I also like duck. Here's an incredible duck confit appetizer that I enjoyed at Artist Point in August 2008. It's duck confit with frisée-anjou pear salad, duck prosciutto, and a huckleberry sauce.

And lastly, I included a larger image of my avatar. This duck was last seen in August 2008 outside of Hollywood Studios. The weather was hot and humid on that day, so I think she had her mouth open as a cooling mechanism.

I think birds are a huge part of the Disney experience. One of my most vivid Disney memories is eating a Mickey-shaped rice krispie treat on the Boardwalk in 2002...only to have a seagull swoop down, grab it out of my hands, and then accidentally drop it into Crescent Lake. Since WDW is full of greenery and bodies of water, I always see plenty of seagulls and ducks around. It's one of the things that reminds me I'm in Disney.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

For the finale of my pre-trip updates, I thought it would be fun to showcase some of the ultimate Disney treats: dessert! Over the years, there have been numerous sweet treats that have translated into lovely food pics.

One treat that seems relatively overlooked is the soft serve at Gasparilla Grill (it's the same soft serve as at Seashore Sweets, except the machine and toppings at Gasparilla are self-serve).

For as long as I can remember, California Grill has featured a valrhona chocolate cake with seasonal ice cream on the dessert menu. Since I love strawberries, I especially enjoyed this version with strawberry ice cream in May 2011.

As discussed in my July review, Jiko's malva pudding is one of my favorite former desserts. Here's the menu description: "Warm Cape Dutch Cake with Vanilla Custard and Mango and Apricot Sorbet"

I'm sure it isn't surprising that I like dole whips. Here's a pineapple float with pineapple-vanilla swirl (the swirl is my favorite ).

Yachtsman Steakhouse has recently begun to serve some incredible desserts. This salted caramel gelato was fantastic (it's normally served with a peanut butter and pretzel gianduja cake).

One of the best desserts I've ever had was at Yachtsman last summer: the stone fruit and cream dessert. This beautiful plate featured nectarines, bavarian cream, and peach-champagne espuma (foam).

Yachtsman's desserts have been on fire over the past year and a half. Another fantastic one (that didn't last very long) was the Tasting of Nutella, which featured three individual items. The first was a marshmallow cone...

followed by a candied bacon shooter...

and finally, a banana crêpe with strawberry gelato.

Hollywood Brown Derby offers two of my favorite Disney desserts. One of these is the classic grapefruit cake.

Another is the warm seasonal fruit cobbler with crème fraîche and orange blossom honey.

Speaking of fruit cobblers, Artist Point's berry cobbler is still one of my favorite Disney desserts. It looked very different when I first tried it in 2008 - the cobbler was studded with blueberries, and the plate was full of fresh berries.

When I ordered the cobbler again in 2010, I was horrified by the changes made to it. Gone were the fresh berries, scone-like texture, and colorful house-made raspberry ice cream. Instead, I received a dish full of gooey, gummy fruits that I couldn't discern at all, along with an unappealing 'syrupy' texture. I'm a huge fan of Artist Point, but this wasn't a dish that they should be proud of, IMO. (This isn't one of my favorite photos, but I included it for comparison's sake.)

Fortunately, things majorly improved in 2011. While the presentation is different (and there are less fresh berries than before), this dish is much closer to the first cobbler I tried. The texture is similar, the fresh berries are back, and the ice cream once again adds some extra berry flavor. This is a cobbler that can stand up to the first version I tried, and I'm hoping to get another taste of it in a few days.

I hope you've enjoyed my trio of pre-trip updates. I wanted to liven things up and whet your appetite before the real food pics and reviews are ready.

 

[emmysmommy]

Glad to see some of your favorite things!!! Those are amazing photos of some of my current favorites and soon to be favorites (I'm sure!)... what type of camera do you use?

I loved your walk down memory lane and the photos. DCA has changed so much, you have to make it to CA some day to see it for yourself.

How exciting for only 48 hrs until you leave.

You are nocturnal my friend!!!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Glad to see some of your favorite things!!! Those are amazing photos of some of my current favorites and soon to be favorites (I'm sure!)... what type of camera do you use?

I loved your walk down memory lane and the photos. DCA has changed so much, you have to make it to CA some day to see it for yourself.

How exciting for only 48 hrs until you leave.

You are nocturnal my friend!!!

I'm happy to be sharing some of my favorite things about Disney parks, from the icons to the desserts to the wildlife. After all, when I get into the dining reviews, I'm largely focused on the food (as well as service and atmosphere, to a lesser extent). These updates provided a small glimpse into some of the more personal things I enjoy about Disney parks. Speaking of which, I added one more pic to the "icon" update - my favorite classic Fantasyland ride!

My current camera is a Canon PowerShot Elph 500HS. It's very good for a point-and-shoot camera (although it's starting to become weaker over time, and my most recent pics look duller than before). I might replace it soon, but I want to save up so the replacement is actually worth it instead of just a quick fix.

Yep, I'm basically nocturnal, which means in 48 hours I'll probably be packing (and then in 49 hours we'll be on our way to the airport ). Your trip is less than a week away!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Your pictures are fabulous!! They're getting me so excited!!!!!

 

[ljcrochet]

Great pictures. Making me want to go through my old disney picture from pre digital camera trips.

 

[deenbrad]

I loved seeing all your pics! My favorite pic of yours doesn't fit into any of those categories...the snail! Just made me chuckle at the time

 

[doitforlove]

Love all your bird pics! I hope you have an amazing trip with many a full belly! Can't wait to read your reviews when you come back!

 

[jabead]

Love all the pictures, Donald! But where is Spaceship Earth? I guess you are not impressed by the big 'ole golf ball icon, huh?

Anyway, I am getting super excited for you and the others who will soon be at WDW. I wish I was going myself, but having you all there and then doing Dining Reports is the next best thing. I am going to miss you guys though, so please check in here once in awhile to let us know how things are going, ok?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Your pictures are fabulous!! They're getting me so excited!!!!!

Thanks so much! I'm glad you like the pics! And I'm so excited that we have just a few days to go until we're both there!

Great pictures. Making me want to go through my old disney picture from pre digital camera trips.

That's a really good idea - I only got my first digital camera in 2007 (and my first WDW trip with it was in 2008), so there are several years of pictures that I haven't accounted for. It sure would be nice to see some great WDW pictures from the polaroid/Kodak film days.

I loved seeing all your pics! My favorite pic of yours doesn't fit into any of those categories...the snail! Just made me chuckle at the time

Oh boy, I had forgotten about the snail. I'm not going to post a full pic in this thread, but here's a link to the image if you want to see it again. I'm sure it was much happier outside than it would have been at Bistro de Paris (where I was on my way for dinner).

Love all your bird pics! I hope you have an amazing trip with many a full belly! Can't wait to read your reviews when you come back!

Thanks so much! Just about 9 days to go until the reviews start. I'm looking forward to your reviews in a few weeks!

Anyway, I am getting super excited for you and the others who will soon be at WDW. I wish I was going myself, but having you all there and then doing Dining Reports is the next best thing. I am going to miss you guys though, so please check in here once in awhile to let us know how things are going, ok?

Sure, I'll definitely check in occasionally (especially if the plans end up being altered in any way). And hopefully we'll all be looking forward to another one of your reviews soon enough.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Love all the pictures, Donald! But where is Spaceship Earth? I guess you are not impressed by the big 'ole golf ball icon, huh?

Actually, I guess I just forgot Spaceship Earth. Here it is!

Can't you see it? This pic was taken from Buena Vista Palace (a hotel on Hotel Plaza Boulevard), and you can also see Saratoga Springs, the Dolphin, and Tower of Terror. We spent the night here before BLT opened (then in the morning, we switched to BLT for its opening day/night).

You gotta love the view from BLT.

I suppose you want a better picture of Spaceship Earth. Will this do?

It's just barely peaking over the Polynesian Resort from our room at Grand Floridian. On a side note, I'll miss this view. The new DVC wing at Grand Floridian is going to detract from this beautiful skyline - I don't even think the Wedding Pavilion will still be visible!

The next picture of Spaceship Earth will definitely be clearer.

This pic was taken while parasailing, and at least SSE happens to be in the center of this one.

There it is! But this pic is a little bland. How about some surfer topiaries to spice things up?

Spaceship Earth is ready for its closeup.

And lastly, a pic of Spaceship Earth at night. I've always loved the beautiful colors that it glows in the evening.

Hopefully this made up for Spaceship Earth's initial absence.

 

[iloveeeyore]

I can't believe we missed you by such a short time! Wish we were still there! Can't wait to read the next report!

 

[emmysmommy]

Nicely done Mr. DDW! A variety of SSE photos that are not the generic close up ball.

How awesome that you were at the open for BLT!!! And a TPV there too?? Love it! How many times have you been to WDW? You are truly a Dis expert.

 

[jabead]

Hopefully this made up for Spaceship Earth's initial absence.

Nicely done, Donald!

EDIT: Just saw that Brenda and I posted almost the exact same comment...proving once again that great minds think alike!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I can't believe we missed you by such a short time! Wish we were still there! Can't wait to read the next report!

I know - I always wish we could extend our trips and make them longer!

But at least when I get back, I'll have your dining reviews to catch up on, and when you've made some progress, my reviews will start appearing. So in some ways, this'll help prolong the Disney magic for both of us.

Nicely done, Donald!

EDIT: Just saw that Brenda and I posted almost the exact same comment...proving once again that great minds think alike!

I'm glad you liked the SSE update!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Nicely done Mr. DDW! A variety of SSE photos that are not the generic close up ball.

How awesome that you were at the open for BLT!!! And a TPV there too?? Love it! How many times have you been to WDW? You are truly a Dis expert.

Thanks! I'm glad you liked the SSE update, and I wanted to include some interesting views of it.

Yep, we went all out on that trip, and it was full of exciting events. We spent BLT's opening night in a 1-bedroom villa with a Magic Kingdom view. We checked in bright and early at about 6am, and we were rewarded with this view.

The Castle was still glowing when we arrived!

I love the (nearly) floor-to-ceiling windows.

I also love the modern Disney artwork on each floor of the resort. This was understandably one of my favorites:

The beds there are so comfortable.

View from the bathroom

An opening day souvenir

I just love that view

And here's a rather random pic - the water slide.

After BLT, we were planning on moving to a garden view room at GF. We had loved BLT so much that we were expecting a regular garden view at GF to disappoint us in comparison.

However, GF had different plans in mind. At check-in, we received an upgrade to the Royal Palm Club in the main building. Our room had this view:

Later in the trip, we saw a rainbow over GF from our room.

The sky was gorgeous.

I also got to walk through the Walt Disney Suite (it was a few doors down from our room), which was very cool.

So in the end, both BLT and GF managed to blow us away, with neither one being disappointing in any way.

On that same trip, Kouzzina started its preview period, so I posted the first DIS pics of breakfast (the stacked breakfast) and dinner (my favorite dishes were the halloumi saganaki and fisherman's stew).

And just in case you're wondering, Citricos was the best meal of that trip (although it was our only signature). The seared tuna carpaccio was our favorite dish: spiced and seared ahi tuna topped with stone fruit relish and blackberry vinaigrette.

I don't know how many times I've been to WDW, but I would guess about 35. It helps that our trips are 3-4 nights on average.

 

[livinlife25]

We will be doing the exact same stay in January! 2 nights at AKL then moving to WL. I can't wait to see your TR, especially Mara and Artist Point. Any thoughts on Roaring Forks?